Film-holding device for moving-picture machines.



C, R. UIEIBIILMIISSER. I FILM HOLDING DEVICE PORV'MOVING PICTURE MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED APR. ze, 1909.

994|044,v Patented'may 30;'1'91-1.

auml:

naman UNITED STAT Es PATENT oFFioE.

CHARLES R'. UEBELMESSER, 0F NEXN-YORKpN'd Y., ASSIGNOR'TO AMERICAN 'MOVING PICTURE MACHINE COMPANY, YORK.

l To all whom, tmc-y concern:

1 Be it knownthat I, CHARracs R. Unman- `Massen, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident'o the city of New `York7 i'n the county of New York andI Stateof New York, United-,States of America, have invented certain new" and useful lmprovements in Film-HoldingDevices vfor Moving-Picture Machines, of which the following is a specification. v

My invention relates to improvements in moving picture apparatusin which the pic' tures on a strip or film insuccessive poses are made to appear overa fixed orifice inf rapid succession. v

, The object' of my invention is "to provide improved means for centering and supporting the film roll.

I will describe my invention in the following specification and pointout the novel features thereof` in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, VFigurel is a side view of a portion cfa moving picture machine,the film-roll casing being shown in section to permit the 'film-roll carrier and bridge to betsen. 'Fig'. 2 is a vplan View 'of the film-roll carrier, a portionef the upper plate being broken away to show the lower plate.` Fig.\3 isa detail view, showing the` structure of the supporting pins and the manner of connecting them to the film carrier plates. Fig. 4 is a detail viewshowing the manner of supporting the film carrier plates. y

Like characters of reference designate'cor`` responding parts in all of the figures.

l designatesthe stationary frameE of the moving picture machine which supports the arious :parts thereof, such as the lens-can' rier 11, film-driving rolls 12, guiding rolls 13, etc., all ot which parts may be of any usual or .well-kno\vn construction.

20 is the filmroll carrier mounted upon a Vertical shaft 2l. journaled in a supporting sheave 22 carried by a part of the frame l0.

The carrier is preferably inclosed in a fireproof protective casing 23 also carried h vthe frame.

vThe film is unwound from the inner convolutions of the roll 6, and to assist in this operation it is usually found necessary to posit ivcly rotate the roll-carrier v20, for which purpose f drive the sha-'ft 2l 'through suitable gearing 24. from the motive OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION, 0F NEW frame l-O. This bridgefornis a bearing for the upper end of the shaft 2l an'd also supports the Ifilm-guiding rolls 26. lt is hinged lat one end or made otherwise removable to facilitate the insertion of the film-rolls.

In my preferred structure, the roll-can rier comprises a supporting plate 30 fixed to the shaft 21 by means of a collar 31, to which it is fastened by screws 34 or other suitable means. This plate is provided with a series f radial slots 32, ha'vingienlarged inner ends as shown at 33. y

,The lower' plate Ai0 of the carrier 2() is mounted to turn about the collar 31 onva flange 41 projecting from t-he latter. This lowerplate is -provided with a series of spiral slots 42 and, with a projecting ear or handle 43, to facilita-te'turning the lower plate relatively to the upper. A

, Supported upon the upper plate are a series of upwardly projecting supporting or centering pins 50, each pin having a threaded neck "or stud'v 51 of reduced diameter passing through a slot 32 in the upper plate,-` the unthreaded extremity 52 of the neck or stud entering one of they spiral slots `4:2 in the lower plate. l? or retaining the pins-in place -ianged nuts 53 are screwed on the studs 51, the neck portions of the nuts sliding freely in the slots-32 and being of a suflicient length when seated againstk the shouldered portions of the pins to hold the flanges'55 gof' the nuts clear of the lower side of `plate 30. The plate is sufficiently spaced from 'the plate 30 t'o permit the flanges 55 to slide freely between the two plates.

of the casing 23 is removed and the bridge 25 swung out of the Way. The platea() 'is power of the machine. 2:3.is a lnidge supi bridge is now'rcturned vto'its original posiy 55 ported within the casing 23 by a part of.' the l tion and the inner end of the roll of film 1s specification bf Letters Patent. v rammed 4May 30, 1911', Application 1ed April 26, 17909. Serial No.`492.142. y i I l The operation of the roll-carrieir will be i apparent. To insert a roll of film 'the cover threaded between the guide rolls 26 and"13 and passed through the apparatus when the lmachine is ready to'be operated.

The above described device greatly facilitates the use of this apparatus. The yfilms vary greatly in length and consequently the diameters et the film-coils vary. It is important for the smooth operation of the machine that these coils. be centered nicely. Heretofore this adjustment had to be made by setting up each of the guiding pins separately, which necessarily consumed considerable. time.` Vith my improved device,

however, the 'adjustment of all of these pins is made alt-'once and with the greatest ease.

What I claim is- 1. A film-roll holding device comprising a supporting plate, a plurality of centering pins arranged about the center of said plate, and means for simultaneously moving the positions of said pins toward or from the center of said plate.

2. A film-roll holding device comprisingl a supporting plate revoluble about a eentral axis, a plurality of centering pins rojecting from said plate and arrangel 'at equal distances from the axis thereof, and means for simultaneously moving the positions of said pins toward or from the center y of said plate.

- and rollers, a plurality of centering spiral slots, both of said plates being mount- `ed upon a vertical shaft, means for rotatlng said plates and shaft; a plurality of centering pins slidably mounted in said radial slots, each of said pins having a portion entering one of said spiral slots respectively, and means for giving said plates a rotary movement relative to each other, to thereby vary the distance of the centering pins from the axis ofthe shaft. 4

5. A film-roll holding device comprising a horizontal supporting plate provided with a series of radial slots and mounted upon a vertical shaft, and a horizontal adjustinflr plate mounted upon said shaft and provide with a series of spiral slots; a plurality of centering pins mounted on saidsupporting plate at equal distances from the axis of the shaft and having studs projecting through y the radial slots, nuts screwed onto said studs for holding said pins-in place, projections from said studs entering into said spiral grooves, and means for rotating one of said plates for a limited distance relative to the vother to'thercby vary the distance of the-sc centerin pins from the axis of the shaft.

6. A lm-roll holding device comprising a rotary supprtilgite, film-guide-rollers, a stationary frame for supporting said plate ms projecting at' right-angles from the surlfhce of sail'supporting plate, and means for simultaneously moving the position of said pins toward or from the center of said late.

In testimony whereof I have signes my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES R. UEBELMESSER. 

